The Atlanta Falcons knew they have a star on their hands when they drafted quarterback Matt Ryan No. 3 overall in 2008. He became the new face of the franchise and the Atlanta Falcons are preparing to make him the starting quarterback in Atlanta for many years to come. Atlanta team officials are already making financial preparations to be able to offer Ryan a well-deserved large contract and that started with the release of right tackle, Tyson Clabo.
Clabo's release came as a bit of a surprise, but when looking at the bigger picture for the team, it makes sense. The Falcons are currently sitting only $2 million under the salary cap entering the NFL draft. They still have to sign all of their draft picks as well. Clabo's release frees up almost $900,000 for the short term and then after June 1, it frees up $4.5 million in cap space. Clabo has been extremely productive, starting every game since 2008. He made the Pro Bowl in 2010 and has played a large part in Atlanta's success in the passing game. Mike Johnson is expected to be his replacement.
Atlanta was thinking long-term with the release of Clabo. They are beginning to clear the books so they can pay Ryan at the end of the upcoming season. General Manager Thomas Dimitroff believes the two parties will agree on a contract extension prior to the season beginning.
"For Matt right now, he's not worried about it because he known that something is around the corner, as we do. I can't put an exact date on it, this is a long-winded way of saying I'm hoping we can agree to something going into the season," Dimitroff said.
Ryan is often compared to Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco. The two were both drafted in the first round in 2008. It is unknown whether the two deals will be close to equivalent considering Flacco has a Super Bowl win while Ryan only has only led the Falcons to one NFC Championship loss. NFL sources believe Ryan's contract could be in the range of $21 to $23 million.
The Falcons have done their part to surround Ryan with a strong supporting cast that is only helping him become a better quarterback. Last season, he threw for 4,719 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading Atlanta one of their best finishes in recent history. Both sides know that he will be in Atlanta for a long time to come; they just need to put a dollar amount on it.